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Ilya led with his head on Svetlana’s lap, her cold, thin fingers grazing over the skin on his face. Every now and again her fingers would stop and move closer together as if to pinch the skin, but never actually doing it. The fingers leave his face and he hears the exaggerated sounds of eating before the fingers return to his face to find another mole or freckle. He lets a small smile play on his lips as she ‘pinches’ another mole and ‘eats’ it.
It had not been long since he returned from the cottage, still slightly living off the high of it and the promises and plans made there. It's a better feeling than night out drinking and the rush of nicotine from his favourite brand of cigarettes. A year he keeps telling himself. Just a year.
“Sveta.” he says, his voice quiet and uncharacteristically small, barely able to be heard over the old hockey game they are watching.
“Ilyukha.” Her voice is warm and rich, he’s spent many nights falling asleep to it rambling about hockey.
“I am in love with Shane Hollander.” her fingers stop. Ilya and Shane had talked about telling people. Shane is still worried about how the people he loves will react, even after how warm and loving his parents were.
“I know.” He felt her shrug from where his head was still on her lap. He didn't really know what he expected, and maybe he should have expected her to know. But it was still a bit of a shock. After all, he thought he had been discreet.
“You know?”
“Yes, is very obvious.” Shit. Was it really obvious? Had he spent almost ten years thinking he was hiding and instead he had in fact been basically waving a sign saying ‘me and Shane Holland have amazing sex and I think I might maybe love him’.
“How so?”
“The way you freeze when he is mentioned. The way you smile when Jane messages you, Jane is not very inconspicuous cover name.”
“No one else recognised it.”
“Nobody knows you like I do Ilyushka, except for Shane I guess. And hockey players are stupid, look at you. Seven years of pining.”
“Seven yea- how did you know?
“Like I said, I know you, have for a very long time.” her voice is soft curling around the english words. It would've been easier to say it in russian, but the english made all of this feel more real. He had really just told his best friend that he was in love with another man, and that man was Canada’s golden boy Shane Hollander. “Are you happy?”
“Yes, very.” Ilya turns to look up at her and she is looking down at him, face highlighted by the tv. Her smile soft but knowing.
“Good. Now, is he as good in bed as he is on the ice?” Ilya shoots up, sitting upright. She laughs at him. He wonders what his face looks like.
“He is amazing. Like everything he does.”
“I must meet him, he must have the umm… the shovel talk.” her smile turns wicked and this is why Ilya loves her. She cares so deeply about him, that sometimes it is the only thing that kept him afloat. But not anymore, he knows that Shane will help her with that. Which is a scary thought- Shane and Svetlana together. He slumps against the headboard at the thought and the weight that has been lifted off his shoulders.
“Maybe.”
“Ilyushka do not be like that. You know I have always admired him.”
“Is different now.”
“Not really. He is still Shane Hollander and you are still Ilya Rozanov. You are just in love now.”
“I have loved him for a very long time, Sveta.”
“Even less has changed then.” she tells him with another shrug, but her face is fond and maybe a bit excited. “I still want to meet him. Next time he is in Boston.”
“Maybe.” he says again trying to work out how that would work. Maybe he could have them both for dinner after a game. Sure it would cut into their time having their truly amazing sex, but for a long time it had just been him and Sevtlana. He would like for them to meet. One night of no sex for a night introducing his boyfriend and best friend? He's sure he could manage it.
“I am happy for you Ilya-
“Oh proper name.”
“Be quiet and let me finish. I am happy for you Ilya, you deserve to be loved the way you love. I can see that Shane is that for you.”
“Thank you. I will speak to him about you meeting him, but you must not… combine your powers against me. Would not be fair.”
“No promises. Now finish watching the game, all this love is boring me.” she jokes. Ilya does not return to how he had been led before the conversation, instead he rests his head on her slim shoulder and then she puts hers on top of his. Her hair tickling his ear.
When Svetlana leaves, with a kiss on the cheek and an extra tight hug, he returns to his bed. He pulls out his phone, with a new background. One of a sunset over the lake at the cottage, the sky painted orange and pink. A bit of Shane without being obvious. He opens it to the messaging app, Jane at the top.
Ilya:
i told svetlana
Jane❤️:
How did it go?
Ilya:
was good
she wants to meet you
Jane❤️:
That’s great!
The part where it went well.
Should I be worried about meeting her?
Ilya:
no
i should be the worried one
Jane❤️:
Why’s that?
Ilya:
you will both use your powers against me
i will be defenceless
Jane❤️:
Maybe it is a good idea then
Ilya:
no
Jane❤️:
We’ll see
I’m glad it went well though. You deserve to have someone in your corner that loves you
Ilya:
yes i am very lucky
I love you
Jane❤️:
I love you